Dr. Michael (Mike) Lickers

Dr. Michael Lickers, a proud Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River, has spent a lifetime bridging worlds—Indigenous and non-Indigenous, urban and traditional, academic and community-based—through the power of leadership, learning, and cultural connection. A widely respected educator and Haudenosaunee Knowledge Keeper, Mike brings over 30 years of experience in Indigenous youth leadership, outdoor and cultural education, and community development across Canada and internationally.

Mike recently retired from his role as Senior Advisor of Indigenous Relations and Community Development at Suncor Energy, where he spent more than a decade helping the company integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, governance, and engagement into its work. Throughout his career, Mike has guided organizations and institutions through cultural protocol, strategic relationship-building, and meaningful community development initiatives that honour Indigenous values and voices.

He is the founder and former Executive Director of the Ghost River Rediscovery Society, a ground-breaking organization that has helped thousands of youth reconnect with the land, themselves, and their cultures through immersive outdoor education experiences. His work is rooted in the belief that leadership grows from connection—to community, to culture, and to purpose.

Mike holds a Master of Arts in Leadership and Training and a Doctorate in Social Sciences from Royal Roads University, where he continues to serve as an Indigenous Scholar in Residence and faculty member in the School of Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies. His doctoral research—Urban Aboriginal Leadership: The Delicate Dance Between Two Worlds—continues to shape dialogue on how Indigenous youth navigate leadership in complex, colonial urban contexts. Mike has also published widely on Indigenous epistemology, youth development, land-based learning, and Indigenous research methodology.

Whether teaching university courses on Indigenous Ways of Knowing, offering guidance on protocol and governance, or sharing stories by the fire during a field course, Mike brings warmth, humour, and deep integrity to every interaction. He is currently helping to shape the new Master’s in Climate Action Leadership at Royal Roads and has taught at the University of Calgary, St. Mary’s University, and through a variety of community and professional learning environments.

Mike and Anne Harding have worked together for nearly 20 years, co-developing and delivering dozens of Indigenous Awareness workshops across the country. Their collaboration is grounded in trust, respect, and a shared commitment to authentic, practical learning that honours both Indigenous knowledge systems and contemporary realities. Their workshops have influenced thousands of learners and organizations—always rooted in Mike’s foundational belief that “we are all learning together.”

Twice honoured with the Chief David Crowchild Memorial Award for his contributions to urban Indigenous leadership, Mike brings a fierce dedication to building a better future for Indigenous peoples living in cities—often overlooked, but never invisible in his work. Having served on Calgary’s CAUAC in the mid-1990s and remained deeply connected to the city ever since, Mike continues to advocate for policies, programs, and partnerships that reflect the needs and strengths of urban Indigenous communities.

Grounded in traditional teachings, fueled by academic insight, and driven by an unshakable passion for youth and community, Dr. Mike Lickers is a true connector—of people, of knowledge, and of possibility. His presence in any room is both grounding and uplifting, a reminder that leadership begins not with title, but with service.